Nap Like Royalty

We as adults have learned to truly appreciate the precious moments that come from a good nap that we weren’t able to truly appreciate as a child.

Whether that’s lazing around on your front-porch swing or sprawling out in bed for a quick rest, it’s undoubtedly an enjoyable pastime.

But, waking up dazed and confused to a messy home and the realization that  you only have a few spare moments to get yourself together for that next meeting can be rough. And we can all relate to the feeling late at night that comes from indulging a little too much in that nap earlier in the day.

We’ve all been there—you know that dragging, “I just want to stay in my bed for the rest of my life” feeling after waking up from a nap during a long day. It slowly fades, but it’d be awesome if we could find a way to nap peacefully without it.

Thankfully, there’s a way to do this! Knowing when and how long to slumber can greatly improve your napping experience.

Below are some tips directly from an expert in the Wall Street Journal:

• Don’t take naps after 4 p.m. (1-4 p.m. is ideal) in order to avoid ruining your sleeping schedule.
• Power naps are the best naps! When you fall asleep for 10-20 minutes max, you improve your alertness and energy, and can avoid the difficulties of waking up because you’re only entering the non-REM part of the sleep cycle.
• Be warned! There is a fine line between too little and too much: a 30-minute nap will take you into a deeper sleep and leave you feeling worse than before you fell asleep.
• Napping for 1-hour is perfect if you want to better remember facts, names and faces. Even though you might feel a little disoriented first, the feeling will go away.
• Want to really feel energized? Sleeping for about 90 minutes takes you through your full sleep cycle and gives your better emotional and procedural memory, as well as a better imagination.

We hope that these tips will help you nap like royalty!

And for those who are ready for a nap right now but feel like they shouldn’t, don’t!

Research shows that naps can contribute to better physical and emotional health and cognitive function in people of all ages. So start taking advantage of that precious napping time, even if that means taking a 10-minute cat nap, you won’t regret it!